


They Find What They Were Searching For

by W01FS0NG



Series: The Tale of the Lavabender [6]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Azula is a mental case, Azula starts fights, Death in the Family, F/M, Forgetful Valley, Gen, Katara is greatly annoyed, Not Koh the other face changing spirit, Spirits, The Search, Water Tribe folk found in the forest, atla comic, changing of faces, crazy forest, lavabending, mention of Yu Dao, mention of discrimination
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:40:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25616011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/W01FS0NG/pseuds/W01FS0NG
Summary: "She changed her face! She abandoned me! For Them!""Azula, This is Forgetful Valley! Once the spirit changed her face, she probably forgot who she was! She didn’t abandon you!"“Who are you to make such accusations! You filthy halfer! You can’t possibly understand!”
Series: The Tale of the Lavabender [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1787455
Kudos: 3





	They Find What They Were Searching For

**Author's Note:**

> Hiya folks, it’s been a hot minute, hasn’t it? Well, I’m back and I’ve also changed the layout of the part before this one if you want to check it out. Both have to do with the comics!

The group left Appa at the entrance to the Forgetful Valley. Just a few hours ago, they had spoken to some nice townspeople of Hira’a. A man and his wife told the young adults that the woman they were looking for, Zuko’s mother Ursa, and the man they were looking for, Ikem could quite possibly be found in the Forgetful Valley. 

The giant blue wolf spirit they encountered a few days prior wasn’t exactly helping them out either. It puked wasps at them

They only came to Hira’a because of what was in Ursa’s letters. Papers which Heiwa had not dared read. Azula was very sentimental about them, not to mention flat out crazy. They only took her with them because Zuko wanted her to come along, and both of them really wanted to find their mother. She managed to supremely annoy Katara. The lavabender was the only one who kept a level head. Or at least, that’s what her friends thought.

What Heiwa is actually doing is ignoring Azula’s craziness and all the fights she started by rereading letters from her own family. Just before the team had left and placed Iroh in charge, a fire hawk came with word of the Lavabender’s great uncle’s sickness. They said he was on his deathbed. She’s electing to help her friends before tending to her family. A choice she had to make in a split-second. Why would she want to go back to the Fire Nation colony? They treated her terribly and cast her out just because of her bending. The mother was a firebender, and the father was an earthbender. Even worse, her mother was the niece of the mayor of town. He did nothing as the townsfolk turned on Heiwa and her parents. And now he expects her to believe that things have changed?! Unbelievable.

Large boulders gave way to a dense jungle. A sign was placed marking the entrance. Some strange stones with face-like features were all over the place.

“So, where do we go from here?” Katara questioned the group.

“I’m not sure,” Zuko admitted. “There’s not even a path.”

“Come _on,_ Zuzu,” Azula said before getting in a stance, shooting flames out, and declaring, “For a true Firebender, there’s _always_ a path!”

 _“How predictable,”_ Heiwa thought, keeping a straight face.

Katara jumped back in surprise. “What are you doing?!” she asked.

Azula crossed her arms and turned towards the group. In an annoyed tone, she asked, “I suppose one of you imbeciles has a better idea on how to proceed?”

The Water Tribe siblings berated her as Zuko and Aang worked on putting the flames out. “ _Any_ idea is better than burning down the whole forest!” Katara shot back.

“What’d I tell you last time you did something like this? Oh, yeah. NATURE HATES YOU!!”

Aang then rubbed his temples. “Quiet guys! I _am_ detecting something with my special avatar powers! It’s kinda making me want to go like this.” He made a weird face. 

Katara was about to tell him why it didn’t help, but Sokka interrupted her. “No, no. I think Aang is onto something here! If you look carefully, there are actual faces all over the place!” He then went to the leaves. “Check out the leaves!” They all had frowny faces. “And the squirrel-toads! And the bark on the trees!” He pointed to an animal floating over them. “And that giant flutter-bat over there! The patterns on the wings sort of look like a face.”

Katara was about to scold her brother for saying such a thing, but the lavabender of the group spoke before she had a chance to. “He’s right,” said Heiwa. She stepped closer to one of the rocks and reached out to touch it. 

“Hey, don’t go away Mr. Flutter-bat!” Aang yelled, trying to chase after it.

Zuko yelled, “Aang, don’t go after it alone, we don’t know what’s out here!” But he was too late, the Avatar had already disappeared out of sheer childish curiosity.

Heiwa sighed and faced the group, asking, “Isn’t there a spirit that steals people’s faces?” Katara’s eyes widened, as if fearful that Aang might get his face stolen. The group chased after the last Airbender.

“Aang?!” members of the group called out for him.

“I’m over here!” he yelled. They found him right by a little pond filled with the clearest and stillest water they had ever seen.

Aang said something, but Heiwa didn’t hear. Instead, she found her mother’s figure staring back at her through the water. “Go back to Than Khe,” she told her. “They’ve atoned for their sins.”

“Of course you would believe that mother,” the lavabender sighed. She was no longer phased by Azula’s crazy shouts about some woman she keeps seeing. “I refuse to,” Heiwa told her. Even though, (when the team was settling the growing tensions in Yu Dao, and the mayor’s daughter accused her of murdering her own parents) her Great-uncle cleared up the situation and allowed her to come back, saying that times had changed, she still couldn’t believe that. A pink flower floated up to her, making the figure disappear. _“What?”_ She wondered. _“Last time I remember, there wasn’t anything in this pool.”_ The young woman turned around to see that the same flowers had stuck themselves in the trees, barely missing her friends. 

“Heads up!” yelled Zuko. “More incoming!”

Heiwa struck the ground and raised a wall of lava, surrounding them, protecting them from the sharp flowers. It hardened into a nice wall. Katara reached around to grab one. “They shattered,” she told them. “Like ice. Someone’s bending the water in these flowers!”

“They’re not just bending the flowers, they’re bending the vines too!” Sokka shouted, ready to use his boomerang against it. He slashed at a group of vines that were right close to the Avatar. 

The vines began to get crazier, everyone tried to evade their grasp. Suddenly, Katara took control over the vines and the leaves. “You are _not_ the only one here who can waterbend! Show yourself!” Two elderly Water Tribe people, a man and a woman, stepped out of the shadows. He wore a mask while she didn’t.

They gave them food and sat down. The woman, Misu, explained to them that the pool must remain undisturbed. Her brother’s name is Rafa. “That’s what I told them!” Aang shouted while still eating.

“So, what are two members of the Northern Water Tribe doing here?” Katara questioned them.

“Growing up,” Misu began. “My brother and I were complete opposites. I was quiet and studious. He was loud and brash. I loved to follow the rules. He lives to break them. He’d often bring home items he stole from our tribe’s most powerful people. A waterbender’s pouch, a warrior’s club, the chief’s battle helmet. Each time, I yelled at him to return the items. He refused. One day, his luck ran out. I found him in the ice horribly disfigured. I took him to our tribe’s most experienced healers, but none of them could do a thing for him. So I helped him the best I knew how. I went to the library and began to study. In an ancient Fire Nation scroll, I learned about this powerful spirit who would visit a Fire Nation forest from time to time. This spirit had the power to change people’s faces. I made it my life’s mission to bring my brother here. I knew it would be dangerous for two Water Tribe folk to snake into the FIre Nation, so I spent years figuring out how to use waterbending to fight. I had to learn secretly, on my own, since-”

“In the Northern Water Tribe, women Waterbenders were only allowed to _heal_. Things are different now,” Katara interjected. 

Misu gave her a small smile before continuing with her story. “After many failed attempts, we finally made it here to Forgetful Valley. We’ve lived here ever since, hoping to encounter the spirit.”

It was revealed that they haven’t seen or heard of a woman named Ursa, per Azula’s questioning. The spirit in question is a she and when it approaches, the forest tells them. The face-like patterns that have been appearing all over are signs of that. The giant blue wolf spirit also likes to come here, to drink from the pool that sits right next to them. 

“Whichever pool he drinks from, the spirit appears,” Misu told the group. (That is, the face stealing spirit). “The spirit has passed through Forgetful Valley many times since we arrived, but we always seem to be at the wrong pool.” She sighed. “And I believe we missed her again. If this were the right pool, the wolf would have been here by now.” She touched her brother’s arm. “I’m sorry brother, we’ll keep trying.”

Aang abruptly stood and walked over to the pool. “No!” he shouted. “There’s gotta be something I can do! After all, I’m the Avatar, the bridge-”

Sokka cut him off with his sarcasm. “The great bridge between the spirits and the humans. We _know!”_

“I’m gonna cross over into the spirit world,” the Avatar decided. “Try to get that giant wolf spirit to come here.”

As he did, Azula lashed out at her mother again. She was about to kill the nice old woman when Zuko stopped the lightning’s path and aimed it towards the sky.

Heiwa heard an echo through the forest that blocked out all other worldly sounds. “Heiwa!” It was a teenage boy’s voice. One she thought she might never hear again. It came from somewhere deep in the forest. Wanting to go after it, she left the group, as if entranced by the echo.

* * *

He led her to another pool. It must have been some ways away from the others as she could no longer hear them. Keisuke’s voice called her to the pool. Where her reflection was supposed to be, was Keisuke. Just like how she saw her mother. The pools really must have been filled with spirit energy, or whatever you call it.

“Hey, Heiwa,” Keisuke greeted.

“Hi, K,” she said, a drip of sadness in her voice. “Are you going to tell me to go visit my family too?”

“Well… why don’t you sit down?” She did. “I’m not going to tell you that you should go. They were assholes who didn’t understand a thing. However, over time, people of the town did start to realize that what they did was wrong. Believe me, I haunted that area for a _long time._ They were all too cowardly to admit their mistakes, so the surrounding colonies never knew the truth. Until you came back… You came back to Yu Dao and once your great-uncle was sent word of your being there, he wanted to see you as soon as he could. You don’t understand, he began to feel so _guilty_ about not intervening.”

“Damn, you really are just being neutral, aren’t you?”

“Hey, what are non-benders for?”

She smiled and giggled for the first time in a little while. “I missed hanging around with you.”

“Me too. Your mom. Your dad. Me. We all miss you. Whatever you decide, it’ll be okay. I promise.” His spirit disappeared. Heiwa sighed as she stood, still wanting to talk to her dead friend a little bit longer.

That’s when she snapped back to reality. Azula and the others had engaged in a fight. She ran as fast as she could to the other pond, but ran into Azula instead.

“Azula?” Heiwa’s voice was gentle. She knew the question she shouldn’t ask is ‘why are you acting crazy _this_ time?’ That wouldn’t have solved anything. She would just strike lightning at her. Well, she’d strike lightning or blew fire at _something_ regardless. Instead, she questioned. “What did your mom do now?”

Her eyes were crazy, yet filled with a sadness Heiwa hadn’t seen before. Anger had mixed itself in as well. “She changed her face!” Azula exclaimed. “To that woman’s Noriko’s!” The former princess looked like she was about to have a mental breakdown. “She’s with her new family being happy! She abandoned me! For them!”

“Azula,” her voice was firmer now as she tried to calm her down. She got into a light fighting stance just in case. “This is _Forgetful Valley!_ Once the spirit changed her face, she probably forgot who she was! She didn’t abandon you!”

Azula pointed at her as if the lavabender had committed some terrible crime. “Who are you to make such accusations! You filthy halfer! You can’t possibly understand!” She shot lightning at her before leaving the forest.

Heiwa went after her as soon as she dodged the bolt. When she got to Noriko’s house, Azula had already broken through. Sokka reached for his boomerang before he hit the ground. He threw it in the air. “Get out of my way!” She shouted at her older brother. She jumped onto the table. “You! Finally! I can’t tell you how long I’ve dreamed of this moment!”

“Mommy!” the little girl cried, scared. She was being held by her father.

“Tell me mother, did you have to have a new daughter because YOUR LAST ONE TURNED OUT TO BE SUCH A MONSTER?!?!?!” Lightning sizzled and cracked at her fingertips. 

“Stay back, Azula,” Sokka almost commanded.

She faced him. “Back for more snow peasant?! Where’s your little toy?!”

“Right there!” Sokka pointed at his weapon. It bonked her in the head and returned to the warrior’s hand. “Everybody scatter!”

Noren stood, carrying his daughter. “I need to help my wife!” He yelled.

Heiwa protested, “You need to get your daughter to safety first. I’ll get your wife, just move!” Reluctantly, the man did. Sokka and her showed him out the door. Just as she turned around, she found Azula pinning the woman to the wall. 

“I don’t know what you're talking about!” Noriko almost whimpered.

“Oh really, mother?!” Azula exclaimed. “SO I’VE IMAGINED ALL THIS?! You haven’t been trying to take me down from the moment I was born?!”

“Azula, let her go!” Zuko shouted.

“Stay back Zuzu, I’m warning you!”

“If what you say is true,” Noriko stated, bringing a hand to the teen’s cheek. “If I am your mother… then I’m sorry I didn't love you enough.”

With this distraction, Zuko was able to separate them. He yelled, “Get away from her!” as he held Azula’s wrist, pushing her back. 

“No!” She shouted. The two then engaged in a firefight. Heiwa chose this as the time to try and get Noriko out of the way. She got the woman far enough away, but Noriko, or really, Ursa, showed genuine concern for the battling siblings. Then finally, through all their arguing, Azula ran out and right into the valley.

“Fire Lord, Look,” said Noriko. She pointed to the giant spirit in the sky. Katar and Aang flew to the ground with Appa, close to them.

The spirit addressed the older woman. Her voice echoed through the sky. “Human, do you wish to return to who you once were? Do you wish to remember?”

Zuko protested, saying, “No, you don’t have to. You have such a beautiful life here.”

“Yes,” Noriko told the spirit. 

“Hold still,” said the spirit. A bright light shined around the spirit’s branching hand. The woman’s face showed the same glow. Soon, her face was changed.

Everyone went off into their own little groups. The lavabender could see that the Northern Water Tribe members from earlier were sailing off. The woman's younger brother now had a face. To that, the young woman smiled. Heiwa walked up to Aang. “I need you to drop me off on Than Khe,” the lavabender told the avatar.

“A-are you sure?” He asked her, giving her a quizzical look. 

“A member of my family is _dying._ And the spirits of my loved ones are telling me that the town has atoned.”

“That’s why you wandered off,” Katara stated in breathy realization.

“If that _is_ what you want,” Aang said. “I’d be happy for Appa to give you a ride.”

“Thank you, Aang.”

Once they arrived at the house in Than Khe, Heiwa slid down Appa’s tail. They said their goodbyes and soon the lavabender entered the home.

Aunts and uncles of her, on her Fire Nation side, as well as cousins and other distant family members surrounded the old man on his deathbed.

“Look who finally showed up,” one of her cousins whispered. He was then shushed by his sister.

“Heiwa, is that you?” Her great-uncle asked.

“Yes it is, Kyoya,” she said as she dared walked closer. “I’m here now. I am here now.”

“At last you have returned home. It is a different place than when you left it, you know,” the old man said as he reached for her hand.

“I’ve seen,” she told him. The house that used to be hers. The house that the town’s people destroyed, is now a monument. A testament to harder times when tensions between the Fire nation colonists and the Earth Kingdom natives were running high. The fact that Heiwa was born was almost seen as a crime in the town’s folk’s eyes. But times changed. Things mellowed it seemed.

\----------

Heiwa stood in the living room, fiddling with a bracelet her great-uncle wanted her to have. It was her mother’s. He had passed away three hours ago. She was still suspicious about her family. This girl, this young woman hasn’t been home for three years. It was hard to imagine that things could change so quickly in that amount of time. 

Then, she played with the placement of her red shawl. Since she’s ran away, she’s only ever worn Earth Kingdom clothes. Heiwa was ashamed to wear anything Fire Nation in Ba Sing Se due to the war. But it’s over. Now, she wears a mix of both. Earth kingdom shoes and top with Fire Nation pants and a shawl. 

She thought back to her discussion with Zuko about turning Yu Dao into a city where all nations could live in harmony and wondered if the same could happen here.


End file.
